According to Psychology Today (2014) “Specialists in the field [of
environmental psychology] investigate everything from architecture to wildlife
conservation, climate change and outdoor recreation in an effort to better
understand how both natural and built environments influence human behavior”
(para. 1); however, environmental psychology encompasses so much more.
Personal Definition
When I think of environmental psychology I think of the interplay
or interaction of thoughts, feelings, and emotions to one’s immediate and
extended surroundings. In addition to
that interaction the influence one allows the environment to have on his or her
life comes into the definition of that interplay.
Influences of Environmental Psychology
Although there are many milestones to the development of
environmental psychology, I feel that one of the most important influences in
its development is the affects that one’s physical space, both natural and
manmade, has on the development of his or her well-being. Evolutionarily speaking, most humans tend to
prefer spaces that symbolize good things; warm colors, dappled lighting, simple
patterns, and pleasant scents (Augustin, 2009).
Of course personality, culture, and experience all play into one’s
preferences when it comes to tranquility, comfort, and other feelings of
satisfaction.
Well-designed spaces today provide people the opportunity to
control and arrange their own comfort space, whether it be a small respite from
the tensions of everyday life or a larger family room style space for social
interaction. However, as stated by
Augustin (2009), “[i]n both our homes and our workplaces, we need spaces where
we can be alone” (p. 29). The ability to
freely choose privacy or interaction is essential for sound psychological
health. Thus, when people seek to
alleviate the stresses of his or her life, inevitable they seek the solitude of
some restorative location, which can be as simple as a mental separation from
present troubles which create positive distractions (e.g., a long glance out a
window, a retreat into a good book, or a cup of tea out on the veranda).
Conclusion
As can be seen, a well-designed space can both challenge and
define a person’s growth and development.
Taking advantage of both the natural and manmade obstacles to the
betterment of personal comfort and desire turning personal spaces into tranquil
places of restorative beauty can be done.
One just needs to decide what that space should look like to him or
herself.
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